Armed Forces Immigration Adjustment Act of 1991
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The Armed Forces Immigration Adjustment Act was passed by Congress in 1991 and signed into law by President George H. W. Bush (R) on October 1, 1991. The law allowed non-citizens who had served in the United States military for at least 12 years to apply for special immigrant status, enabling such individuals to apply for permanent residency and a Green Card. The law also delayed the implementation of admissions to the United States under the visa categories O and P, which had been created by the Immigration Act of 1990.[1]
Background
The Armed Forces Immigration Adjustment Act of 1991 was introduced as S 296 in the United States Senate by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) on January 30, 1991. Its stated purpose was to "provide for special immigrant status for certain aliens who have served honorably (or are enlisted to serve) in the Armed Forces of the United States for at least 12 years." The Senate passed the bill via a voice vote on the same day it was introduced. The House then passed via a voice vote an amended version of the bill on September 16, 1991. The Senate agreed to the House amendments and added its own amendment by a voice vote on September 24, 1991; the House agreed to the Senate amendment on September 26, 1991. President George H. W. Bush (R) signed the legislation into law on October 1, 1991.[1]
Provisions
Non-citizen service members
The Armed Forces Immigration Adjustment Act of 1991 granted special immigrant status to non-citizens who had served or were actively serving in the United States military for at least 12 years and were recommended for such status by the executive departments of their service branches. Applicants were required to show proof of service to be eligible for the status. Individuals who received special immigrant status were then allowed to apply for permanent residency and a Green Card.[1]
The law limited the number of non-citizens to be granted special immigrant status to 2,000 annually if they came from countries that held a treaty with the United States that authorized and limited the number of nationals from that country to serve in the U.S. military. The law limited the number of non-citizens from all other countries who could be granted special immigrant status to 100 annually.[1]
Specialty occupation visas
The law also delayed until April 1, 1992, the implementation of admissions to the United States under the visa categories O and P, which had been created by the Immigration Act of 1990. The O visa was for individuals with "extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics," and the P visa was for athletes, artists, and entertainers of international recognition. Such individuals were admitted under H category visas for specialty occupations in the meantime.[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
